smi)ers upd@te

During each quarter we will endeavour to provide you with an update on any Smilers related information, news snippets and anything else we think you might be interested in! Details of new issues will appear under the New Issues menu option.

Earlier Smilers News Reports (e.g. Q2-10) are provided in Adobe Acrobat file format and are generally available during the first week following the preceding quarter. Click on the above link or the left-hand panel menu option News Archive to go to the Smilers News Archive.

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Q3 2010

New Universal Mail Overseas Personalised Stamp Strips

It seems I need my eyes in the back of my head as well as 20/20 forward vision! Despite numerous requests to the nice people at Universal Mail to keep me updated on their new issues as and when they are released so that I in turn can provide an update for you at this website, a chance visit to their website this evening as www.universalmail.co.uk identified at least five new stamp strips - a London 2010 strip which will be on sale "until January 2011" and four new strips featuring Scottish tourist venues and the Saltier.

An order has been placed and as soon as I receive these I will provide additional details on issue dates, UM references etc., each strip is priced £3.95 each with a minimum order of 10 strips - ouch! (03/07)
2nd Olympic Commemorative Sheet Revealed

We can now share with you an image of the forthcoming 2nd Olympic Commemorative Sheet, kindly supplied by Ian Billings at Norvic Stamps - thanks Ian! The sheet is already available from Royal Mail to Key Account holders and I have been pestering Tom Francis at Royal Mail for some weeks for an image to share with you. For some reason the image does not appear to be available at Royal Mail, last time I looked even their retail website had an image of the first sheet under the 2nd Edition click-and-buy page! That said, I continue to feel uncomfortable with Royal Mail's dalliance into the Business sheet format that is their Commemorative Stamp Sheets (just which anniversary exactly is this sheet supposed to celebrate?). (02/07)
Eastbourne Eagles Fly off the Shelves!

Further to our feature on the latest business sheet producer Planet Print-Stamp sheets, PPS have provided an update on some interesting developments, which are certainly going to be of interest to the Smilers collectors.

Planet-Print Stamp Sheets, in conjunction with the Eastbourne Eagles Speedway Club have produced a limited edition (100) Business sheet featuring the club, its activities and members. The sheet is stunning to say the least and a refreshing change from the usual run of Royal Anniversaries and Steam Engines that normally grace these pages.

The majority of sheets were made available to Club Members via the club website and through a national adverstising campaign. The website featured the story behind the sheet but seems to have disappeared from the website in recent days, however the order form is still available as a download. To ensure that we could share this information with our readers we "captured" the information and images and have produced a Smilers Information Note which provides more information on this unique sheet - see Eastbourne "Lifestyle" Eagles Speedways Smilers.

We understand from Planet Print-Stamps Limited that a small number of sheets have been offered to their regulars at £250 each and should any remain unsold we understand it is their intention to auction these on eBay. Less than 20 sheets are thought to remain unsold and it remains to be seen whether any of the original club allocation find their way on to eBay, unlikely in our view given the keen interest in these sheets from Speedway fans. We think this is one of the most exciting sheets produced 2010 and may set a trend for sports fans in other clubs - let us hope that in future, sheet producers bear in mind the strong interest for these sheets from sheet collectors and manage to secure sufficient stocks to meet philatelic demand.

Quickly following on the heels of what could turn out to be another "Eagles Coaches" rarity is another sheet from the Planet Prints stable. As revealed last month, the Tartans of Scotland sheet is now available to club members at £125 per sheet. It is again a limited edition of just 100 sheets with approximately half allocated for sales through an American magazine aimed at American's with Scottish ancestry. (01/07)